Jibei Provincial Roleplay

[ann]

For roleplay in Jibei.

[Xiang Zhuang]

In a small hut in an unimportant village in the countryside of Jibei, northern province of the former kingdom of Qi, a man paced nervously. It was maybe a year ago when he came into contact with the now Dictator King of Western Chu out in the fields of Zhao. He had pursued him there since the defeat of Tian Shi, the last King of Qi. However, as his army approached the city of Julu, he noticed that the Chu armies were much larger than he anticipated. He didn't anticipate Xiang Yu leading them, either. In an act of caution, the self-styled White Lion retreated his forces to Qi, and attached them to the reigns of a local leader he had hoped might resist the Chu.

Two mistakes were made in those times. The men of Qi he led were fearsome, and would have pushed the Chu army to its limits, perhaps even overtaking them. This would have helped what remained of the Qin empire, though, which would have been difficult to justify. No, he chose retreat because of Xiang Yu himself. He knew the danger was great; this man was the descendant of Xiang Yan and Xiang Liang. Aishi may have had many years over him, but he knew his own ability was inferior.

"Damn it!" he muttered, punching his armor, which hung next to him. The straps that held the plate together stretched as the armor swung around the stand, ultimately knocking both to the ground. The general hung his head. He knew the path he was heading down was self-destructive. Perhaps after some time he would care. The fires of vengeance burned deep in his heart still.

Giving the troops to that leader was the second mistake. As soon as Chu had defeated the Qin, he turned his allegiance to the Dictator King, sending gifts and presents in the hopes of keeping his position and even raising in rank. As soon as Fang Ai heard of his, he fled Qi province. The magistrate had been foolish, but as soon as he was affirmed by the Chu, he would turn on those who refused to bow as well. Jibei was hardly outside the realm of Qi, but there was little a magistrate could do to him from here. In fleeing Qi, however, he left behind anything of value he might have had, including his military commission. Now, the White Lion roamed without an earthly master, but his own heart bound him to his cause.

He looked down to the armor and picked up the stand. Donning the armor and locking his sword into place, he looked at a mirror he had lain along the edge of the hut. In his shabby attire, he was hardly befit any name as grand as he had given himself. Thoughts of the glory he had once hoped to earn in the name of Qi entered his head. He knew he was a favored son; a proud noble in a proud family of a proud people. What has happened since then need not change this.

He stood in front of the mirror for a long time, lost in those hopes of the past. Eventually, they hardened his resolve. There was still time to effect change; to commit to the cause. There were others in the land who had to think the same as he. In these moments, a plan was formed. He would progress toward the goal, and if another came along who was better fit to achieve it, he would pledge himself to them. The goal would not change, however. Xiang Yu and Liu Bang were only men who likely do not even remember the attack upon Chengyang. He did not know if they had changed. Deep down, he knew that something good had to come of it all; their deaths cannot be as meaningless as they seem now.

Over the next few days, the White Lion moved around from village to village, taking any man of ability he could find and pressing them into a force. He was not sure to what purpose they would eventually serve, but the Qi noble Fang Ai would not sit idly by while his land was under the thumb of he who brutalized it so.

[Jablis]

In his small village in jibei, Liao Zun had heard of a man passing through collecting troops. When pressing the people for information about the man all he could get was, he was a nobleman and he was passionate about something...not much information to go by but Zun believed in hiding in plain site.

Visiting the local tavern, Zun spoke with the bartender, "If you see a Fang Ai pass through here again, please send for me, I wish to talk with him. Don't forget to let him know I'm coming so he doesn't feel I'm sneaking up on him."

Liao Zun returned to his office in his small home to continue planning the cultivation of Jibei. One village at a time, one town, one city. It would start as a slow process but with the support of the people, even a province so close to the wolves den could be a safe haven for good people.

[Fi Sheng]

Fi Ran had been training in exile in a small village in the JiBei region.

He had been held by the authorities as a trouble-maker and had been training himself for his release from his captures so that when he is a free man, he will be able to ensure he did not get captured by them again.
He decided that he should head straight to a tavern after his release. The young 15 year old got in the tavern with his sword at his side, concealed to the naked eye and with his noticeable eye-patch hiding his deformed right-eye. He sat down and started to drink some of the wine that sat in front of him.

[JG Chan]

Elsewhere in northern Ji, Shu'er crested a small hill and looked at the vast plains around her, dotted with distant farmlands and small groves of trees. The Taihang mountains rose far to the west, while eastwards one could sometimes make out the Bohai sea. It was still cold, the morning sun usually rising to frosted fields, but not quite as bad as Yan.

It was also lunchtime, and so the young doctor carefully laid down her medicine cabinet against a tree. Stretching with a relieved and decidedly unladylike groan, she leaned against said tree and unwrapped her lunch, trying to keep her cloak around her as she ate. She was in no real hurry, as she knew this route well and would make it to a village before evening. Spotting a squirrel digging for its hidden caches nearby, she watched it with an amused smile, feeling kind of like they were having lunch together.

[Jablis]

Fi Sheng

"Young man!" Came a voice from the corner of the tavern. A plainly dressed man devoid of shiny jewelry, fancy robes or weapons. A shrewed demeanor and soft charm were his weapons of choice.

"It would seem you drink alone. I am Liao Zun, and it is generally recognized that I run this village. Perhaps you would like to share my wine with me and in exchange you share with me your story?"

Zun showed his winning smile in an attempt to soften the somewhat gruff looking young lad.

JG Chan

"Sir, we have some news."

"Have you spotted Fang Ai yet?" Replied Liao Zun to his assistant.

"No Sir, but we have spotted a young woman having lunch out in the fields by a tree."

"Really, by a tree?" Zun teased at the odd inclusion. "Perhaps you should hurry along and offer her a bed at the tavern, on me of course. Also, if she would like, to come by my humble home for dinner tonight to save on her traveling supplies if she's only passing through."

Approaching, the woman from an easily seen direction, in these dangerous times he introduced himself, "Hello I am Liao Chen, my distant cousin runs a village not too far from here and would like to offer you shelter at a near by tavern for the evening. It is quite cold out these days. Also he extended a dinner invitation at his home to help save on travel supplies if you're just passing through."

[JG Chan]

Jablis

In the time it would take for someone to spot her, report to a village out of sight, and return, Shu'er would have already finished eating and be on her way once more, humming to herself alongside the rhythmic creaking of her medicine cabinet. Seeing the stranger approach, she did not slow down, but did give him a curious look since he seemed to be heading for her.

Approaching, the woman from an easily seen direction, in these dangerous times he introduced himself, "Hello I am Liao Chen, my distant cousin runs a village not too far from here and would like to offer you shelter at a near by tavern for the evening. It is quite cold out these days. Also he extended a dinner invitation at his home to help save on travel supplies if you're just passing through."

"Oh, that's nice of him," she smiled sweetly at Liao Chen. "My name is Tu Shu'er, and I'm a traveling doctor, kind of. Does your cousin do this for all the travelers around here?"

[Jablis]

JG Chan

"Zun has a bit of an open arms policy when it comes to strangers." Chen said with a bit of a grimace. "It can be dangerous but there's no better way to get to know somebody. For instance, if I hadn't approached I wouldn't know that your name is Tu Shu'er, nice to meet you, or that you are a traveling doctor, sort of...which part is the sort of, traveling or doctor?"

[Fi Sheng]

Jablis

Fi Sheng

"Young man!" Came a voice from the corner of the tavern. A plainly dressed man devoid of shiny jewelry, fancy robes or weapons. A shrewed demeanor and soft charm were his weapons of choice.

"It would seem you drink alone. I am Liao Zun, and it is generally recognized that I run this village. Perhaps you would like to share my wine with me and in exchange you share with me your story?"

Zun showed his winning smile in an attempt to soften the somewhat gruff looking young lad.

Ran turned his head to see the man introduce himself and offer to join him. He didn't really know the man but still waved him to sit next to him if he still wished to. "I'm Fi Ran".

He then immediately went back to his wine and awaited the man known as Liao Zun to respond.

[JG Chan]

Jablis

Shu'er just giggled, not answering the question as she glanced behind Liao Chen in the direction he had come from. As she had no particular schedule a detour would have been fine, but the young woman had always preferred to make her own way without imposing on others. That was the point she was considering as she stood on the road, absently kicking the ground with one foot.

"Hmm...well, since your cousin's so kind to offer, I should at least come by for a visit," she decided, smiling. "Lead on, Master Liao."